Just Friends
by jessamarie05
Summary: "But you were just friends, at least that's what you said. Now I know better, from his fingers in your hair. I'll forgive you for what you've done, if you say that I'm the one." Loosely based off of "Just Friends" by Gavin DeGraw. One-shot.


AN: What inspired me to write this one-shot was the song 'Just Friends" by Gavin DeGraw. I was listening to my iPod on shuffle and it came on, this story popped into my head, and I couldn't get rid of it. So here it is! Please note the M rating. Noting too graphic, but if it bothers you, well, it's there... lol.

I own nothing. Not Apple products, not THG series, not Gavin DeGraw or his song. Just play with them a little bit. :)

**"Just Friends" by Gavin DeGraw**

I saw you there last night  
Standing in the dark  
You were acting so in love  
With your hand upon his heart  
But you were just friends  
At least that's what you said  
Now I know better from his fingers in your hair  
I'll forgive you for what you've done  
If you say that I'm the one  
I've had other options too  
But all I want is you  
Girl, your body fits me like a glove  
And you showered me with words of love  
While you were just friends  
At least that's what you said  
Now I know better from his fingers in your hair  
I'll forgive you for what you've done  
If you say that I'm the one  
It's not my style to lay it on the line  
But you don't leave me with a choice this time  
Why weren't you true  
You know I, I trusted you  
When you were just friends  
At least that's what you said  
Now I know better from his fingers in your hair  
I'll forgive you for what you've done  
If you say that I'm the one  
You were just friends  
Now I know better from his fingers in your hair  
I'll forgive you for what you've done  
If you say that I'm the one  
I'll forgive you for what you've done  
If you say that I'm the one  
I'll forgive you for what you've done  
If you say that I'm the one  
I'll forgive you

"I saw you there last night."

I peer down at him through one eye from my perch on the tree branch.

"You were acting so... In love."

At that I scoff. I unceremoniously drop my bow and sheath of arrows to the ground, then make to get down, and he's right there. He grabs my waist and effortlessly sets me down. His hands linger and I shift nervously on my feet, his body mere inches away from mine.

"I just can't get the image of you two out of my head. Seeing him tangle his fingers in your hair," he shakes his head as though trying to rid himself of the memory. He gently tugs on the end of my braid before meeting my eyes again. As usual I can read him like an open book. I see all the different emotions on his face. The jealousy, the betrayal, the confusion, the desire, a whole flurry of feelings fighting for dominance.

"I thought you were just friends?"

I huff and move away from him.

"It's complicated."

"Then un-complicate it! Come on Catnip, we can forget about him."

"It's not that simple Gale! You don't understand. I can't..."

He cuts me off with his lips. I can taste his desperation. This isn't a gentle, sweet kiss, it's a hungry, possessive one.

When he pulls away his eyes search through mine, trying to read me.

"You can't tell me that you don't feel that."

"Of course I do, Gale. But..."

Again he cuts me off with a kiss. When he pulls away this time, I can barely make out where his pupils end and his irises begin, his eyes are so dark.

"No 'buts,' Katniss. Just feel..."

He softly presses his lips to mine, then makes his way all over my face. My nose, my cheek, my forehead. One hand wraps around me and pulls me close, the other fiddles with my hair. He tugs the tie out and trails his fingers through my braid, letting it fall loosely over my shoulders.

"I've always loved your hair," he murmurs as he deeply inhales, his nose buried in my locks.

I can't help but feel guilty. I shouldn't let him do this. I shouldn't be giving him this false hope. But a part of me knows that he doesn't truly think he and I could work, but that he needs at least this one thing. So I push the guilt to the back of my mind, wrap my arms around his neck, and press my lips to his.

His hands glide down to my bottom, lightly squeezing, before dropping to my thighs and picking me up, my ankles hooking around his waist.

He leans into me, hard, when my back hits the tree. I can feel how bad he wants this, especially when he grinds himself into me. I really can't deny the chemistry, and I tingle in anticipation of what's to come, feeling the desire pool in my belly.

He pulls away suddenly, and I can't stifle the quiet whimper of displeasure that escapes my lips at the abrupt lack of contact.

I open my eyes, searching for his, and am surprised by what I see. For as well as we know each other, and as much as we've been through, for the very first time, his eyes convey an emotion I've never seen in him before. Lust.

"Can I... Will you let me touch you?" his breathing is heavy.

I nod, and at first his touch is gentle, slow, he takes his time. It's not long though, until his gentleness lessens, his caress is rougher, more urgent. When he reaches down and grazes me there, it's with expert fingers, knowing exactly where to touch, where to swirl, where to press. Of the many thoughts that pop up through my pleasure induced haze, the nagging one that persists is the reminder of how experienced he is. Of all the things lacking in Gale Hawthorns life, options of women to bed was never one of them. His attractiveness was undeniable, a fact many girls noticed, and one Gale had often taken advantage of.

I'm dragged back to the present when the cool air grazes my now naked body. I shiver as Gale stands back, looking me up and down with almost-black eyes as he slowly unbuttons his shirt, and then his pants.

Our clothes form a makeshift bed that he lowers me to, then places himself on top of me. His hands never stop moving, touching, teasing, and his kisses leave me breathless. When he finally connects us, he does so slowly, eyes squeezed shut, his forehead to my nose, gasping for breath.

He presses a gentle kiss to my lips, then meets my gaze. It has registered with him that I'm not in pain. In his eyes I see a flash of realization, followed by hurt, but as quick as its there it's gone, his lips meeting mine again and he starts moving inside of me.

After, when we're laying there catching our breath, he holds me close, lazily running his fingertips up and down my arm.

"Was it him?"

I roll over to look at him. "Yes."

He averts his gaze, pain etched across his beautiful face. "When?"

"In the Capitol. Before we came home on the train."

"So... Definitely more than friends?"

"I told you it's complicated."

He's silent for a bit, then looks at me again. "It was never going to be me, was it?"

I hesitate before responding. In all honesty, I'd always kind of thought that Gale and I would end up married some time down the line. I'd never had the desire to get married or have kids, but I'd always kind of assumed it would eventually happen, at least the getting married part. And as Gale had always been my closest friend, I'd just kind of accepted him as the one. Not for love, because I'd never felt romantically attracted to him. I was too messed up, too broken, and he was... Well, he was Gale. I'd just never thought of him that way, and his numerous 'lady friends' had always made me think him indifferent as well. Apparently I'd been wrong.

To admit now, though, that he used to have a chance, it would just be cruel.

"I love you Gale, I always have. Just... Not like that."

"Do you love _him_ like that?"

" I... Don't know. I think it's possible that I do."

The pain on his face is joined by regret, then frustration. His hand comes up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Then why exactly did this happen?" He gestures between us.

I try to keep my voice soft, to quell his irritation. "Because I don't think you'd be able to move on, to forget about me until this happened."

"Is that all you think this is for me, Katniss? God, you're so much more to me than a quick lay!"

He grabs my hand and holds it between his own. "I love you Katniss."

He leans in and kisses me, the urgency behind it gone, but the desperation as potent as ever. When he finally pulls back, he reaches over and gently swipes his thumb over my cheek, wiping away tears I hadn't known I was crying. There's an almost unnoticeable wetness on his own cheeks from his own tears.

I don't know how much time passes as we may there like that, his forehead pressed to mine, his hand holding mine right at his heart.

When he finally pulls away, he presses one more soft kiss to my forehead, then silently helps me up and we both get dressed.

There's no more conversation as we walk back towards the seam, until right as we reach the fence.

"I truly hope that you find happiness, Catnip."

I can only nod silently, watching after him as he climbs through the fence and disappears between two houses.

Whew! I'm a sucker for emotional drama, haha. I hope you enjoyed! Reviews are super duper. But please be kind... this is only my second attempt at fan-fiction. :P

Also, this was one of two ways I felt that this idea could go. The Gavin DeGraw song, i felt, could be either from Peetas point of view OR Gales, but this version was the first one I wanted to write. I might eventually get around to coming at it from a different angle, and from Peetas viewpoint.

ANYWAY... Thanks for reading! :)


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